Fengdu , on the northern bank of the Yangtze river , was in the past more popularly known as the ¡° City of Ghost ¡±. Its name can be traced to the¡°Fengwen¡±Dam and¡°Pingdu¡±Mountain, which are in the surrounding countryside.

It seems that the origin of the town's extraordinary reputation dates back to the Han dynasty (206BC-AD220) when two officials, Yin and Wang, became Daoist (Taoist) recluses here and eventually Immortals. When combined, their names mean ¡°King of the Underworld¡±. Today, however, the town is thronged with tourists attracted by temples and shrines dedicated to the gods of the underworld.

From the Tang Dynasty (618-907) on, feudal rulers down through the centuries built scores of temples on Pingdu Mountain . They house sculptures of devils and demons in various fantastic postures. Some carvings are called¡°Between the living and the Dead¡±, the ¡° Bridge of Helplessness ¡±, the ¡°Balcony of Nostalgia¡±, the ¡°Palace of the Jade Emperor¡±, the ¡°God of Constellations¡±, the ¡°Palace of the King of Hell¡± and the ¡° Palace of Rosy Clouds ¡±. They all demonstrate the exquisite carving skills of the Chinese people of ancient times .